The present invention relates to automatic chemical testing apparatus, and more particularly to a reaction conveyor assembly included therein.
The present invention relates to improvements in the type of automatic chemical testing apparatus disposed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,728,079 and 3,762,879 issued respectively on Apr. 17, 1973 and Oct. 2, 1973 both to John J. Moran and assigned to the assignee herein, the disclosures of which are incorporated by reference. In apparatus of that type, aliquots of samples to be analyzed, e.g., human serum, are dispensed into reaction containers in individual rows, and the rows are indexed through a series of positions including passing through incubation means and stations at which reagents are added to the samples and further indexed to readout means at which reacted contents in reaction containers are aspirated and analyzed for the concentration of particular substances in the samples.
The loop conveyor, which may also be called the reaction conveyor, is a very important part of this apparatus. It is desirable to reduce the complexity of such assemblies to reduce expense to construction and maintenance and to increase reliability and effectiveness in operation. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 3,799,794 to Jones discloses an apparatus far more complex than that contemplated by the present invention for moving reaction container rows along a conveyor path.
It is also desirable to provide for other functions such as cleaning of reaction containers and for cooperation with other analyzer components.